One example of a conventional wireless communication game system is disclosed in patent document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laying-open No. 2000-135380). In this patent document 1, a prescribed number (e.g. four) of game apparatuses are configured in such a manner that, taking a period of time during which transmission/reception of communication data makes a round among the game apparatuses, this cycle is divided into four and allocated to each game apparatus, and each game apparatus transmits communication data in order for each allocated period of time.
According to this patent document 1, since there is a limit placed on the number of game apparatuses capable of performing wireless communications, it is difficult to transmit communication data to more game apparatuses in a short period of time. With wireless communications, there is generally a limit to the number of child devices with which a parent device can communicate simultaneously. If an attempt is made to increase the number of child devices with which a parent device can communicate simultaneously, problems, such as a decrease in an amount of data transmittable at one communication step and a decline in a degree of communication accuracy, may occur.
One aspect of the illustrative embodiments provides a novel wireless communication game system and a storage medium storing a wireless communication game program.
Another aspect of the illustrative embodiments provides a wireless communication game system and a storage medium storing a wireless communication game program that can transmit data from a parent device to more child devices in a short period of time.
A further aspect of the illustrative embodiments provides a wireless communication game system and a storage medium storing a wireless communication game program that, in transmitting data in order from a parent device to child devices and from the child devices to other child devices, using wireless communications, makes it possible to transmit information indicating what generation the data belongs to in relation to the original data stored in the parent device.
A wireless communication game system according to the illustrative embodiments includes at least one parent device and a plurality of child devices that can communicate wirelessly with one another. The parent device comprises a first data storage means for storing at least a parent device program and game data, a first communication means for communicating wirelessly with a plurality of child devices, and a first connection means for searching for a plurality of communicable child devices and establishing connection with each of the child devices by broadcasting data for connection, using the first communication means. Each of the child devices comprises a second communication means for communicating wirelessly with the parent device and a second connection means for searching for the communicable parent device and establishing connection with the parent device by receiving the data for connection, using the second communication means. The parent device further comprises a transmission means for transmitting, using the first communication means, the parent device program and the game data stored in the first data storage means to each of the child devices with which connection is established by the first connection means and the second connection means. Each of the child devices further comprises a reception means for receiving, using the second communication means, the parent device program and the game data from the parent device with which connection is established by the first connection means and the second connection means, a second data storage means for storing the parent device program and the game data received by the reception means in a writable and readable manner, and a parent device processing means for executing the parent device program stored in the second data storage means. The parent device processing means executes the parent device program to search for another plurality of communicable child devices and establish connection with each of the child devices by broadcasting the data for connection, using the second communication means, and transmits, using the second communication means, the parent device program and the game data stored in the second data storage means to each of the child devices with which connection is established.
More specifically, the wireless communication game system includes at least one parent device and a plurality of child devices that can communicate wirelessly with one another. In an embodiment described later, a handheld game apparatus (10) (reference numeral corresponding to one in the preferred embodiments. The same is applied to following numerals.) is employed, for example. A first data storage means (42) provided to the parent device stores at least a parent device program (68) and game data (76). In addition, a first communication means (14) is intended for wireless communications with a plurality of child devices. A first connection means (22, 66, S3 to S11) searches for a plurality of communicable child devices and establishes connection with each of the child devices by broadcasting data for connection using the first communication means. Meanwhile, a second communication means (14) provided to each child device is intended for wireless communications with the parent device. A second communication means (22, S101 to S115) searches for a communicable parent device and establishes connection with the parent device by receiving the data for connection using the second communication means. Moreover, a transmission means (22, 66, S21) of the parent device transmits, using the first communication means, the parent device program and the game data stored in the first data storage means to each of the child devices with which connection is established by the first connection means and the second connection means. Then, a reception means (22, S121) of each of the child devices receives, using the second communication means, the parent device program and the game data from the parent device with which connection is established by the first connection means and the second connection means. A second data storage means (22, 28, 86, S123) stores the parent device program and the game data received by the reception means in a writable and readable manner. A parent device processing means (22, S125) executes the parent device program stored in the second data storage means. Also, the parent device processing means executes the parent device program to search for another plurality of communicable child devices and establish connection with each of the child devices by broadcasting the data for connection, using the second communication means (S139 to S147), and transmits the parent device program and the game data stored in the second data storage means to each of the child devices with which connection is established (S157). In this manner, child devices receiving the parent device program and the game data from the parent device can then transmit the data to other child devices in sequence as tentative parent devices by executing the parent device program. Consequently, it is possible to transmit data to more child devices in a short period of time.
In one illustrative embodiment, the first data storage means (64) stores generation information indicating what generation the parent device program and the game data belong to in relation to the original data stored in the parent device. The transmission means transmits the generation information in addition to the parent device program and the game data. The reception means receives the generation information in addition to the parent device program and the game data. The second data storage means (88) stores the generation information received by the reception means. The parent device processing means updates the generation information stored in the second data storage means (S135), and transmits to each of the child devices the updated generation information in addition to the parent device program and the game data. Accordingly, the generation information transmitted together with the parent device program and the game data is updated in a child device, and the updated generation information is transmitted at time of data transmission to another child device, which allows the child devices to recognize what generation the received data belongs to in relation to the original data stored in the parent device.
In another illustrative embodiment, each of the child devices further comprises a second game processing means (20, 72, S163) for processing the game data stored in the second data storage means according to instructions from a player. The second game processing means determines whether or not the updated generation information has a first value (S173, S183) and changes a game process depending on whether or not it is determined that the generation information has the first value. Thus the child device changes the game process based on a result of determination on the updated generation information, that is, the child device produces variations in details of the game according to the value of the generation information. This makes it possible to realize a more surprising, interesting game system.
In another illustrative embodiment, the parent device processing means determines whether or not the updated generation information has a second value (S137) and, when determining that the generation information has the second value, deactivates a process of transmitting the parent device program and the game data. Therefore, when the updated generation information has reached a prescribed second value in a child device, the child device no longer performs data transmission after that. This makes it possible to avoid unlimited data transmission.
In still another illustrative embodiment, the parent device processing means transmits successful reception data to the parent device, in response to reception of the parent device program and the game data by the reception means (S131). The parent device further comprises a number-of-successful-transmissions storage means and a display means. The number-of-successful-transmissions storage means (22, 28, 44, S59 to S61) of the parent device stores the number of successful transmissions in an updatable manner, based on the successful reception data received from each child device via the first communication means. Also, the display means (18, 20, 51, S63) displays the number of successful transmissions stored in the number-of-successful-transmissions storage means. In this way, since the number of successful transmissions is updated based on the successful reception data transmitted from the child device and is displayed, the parent device can notify the player of the number of child devices to which data transmission has succeeded. As a consequence, this can raise the player's motivation for performing wireless communications. Additionally, it is possible to suggest such a game as making players having parent devices vie with each other in the number of successful transmissions.
In another aspect, the parent device further comprises a determination means and a first game processing means. The determination means (22, S73, S83) of the parent device determines whether or not the number of successful transmissions stored in the number-of-successful-transmissions storage means is a third value. The first game processing means (20, 70, S29) processes the game data stored in the first data storage means according to instructions from the player. Also, the first game processing means changes a game process depending on whether or not the determination means determines that the number of successful transmissions is the third value. Accordingly, the parent device changes the game process based on a determination result, that is, the parent device produces variations in details of the game according to the number of successful transmissions. This makes it possible to realize a more surprising, interesting game system.
A wireless communication game system according to the illustrative embodiments is a wireless communication game system including at least one parent device and a plurality of child devices that can communicate wirelessly with one another. The parent device comprises a first data storage means for storing at least a parent device program, game data, and generation information indicating what generation the parent device program and the game data belong to, in relation to the original data stored in the parent device, a first communication means for communicating wirelessly with a plurality of child devices, and a transmission means for transmitting the parent device program, the game data, and the generation information stored in the first data storage means, to each of the child devices, using the first communication means. Each of the child devices comprises a second communication means for communicating wirelessly with the parent device, a reception means for receiving the parent program, the game data, and the generation information from the parent device, using the second communication means, a second data storage means for storing the parent device program, the game data, and the generation information received by the reception means, in a writable and readable manner, and a parent device processing means for executing the parent device program stored in the second data storage means. The parent device processing means executes the parent device program to update the generation information stored in the second data storage means and transmit the parent device program, the game data and the updated generation means stored in the second data storage means, to another plurality of child devices, using the second communication means.
More specifically, the wireless communication game system includes at least one parent device and a plurality of child devices that can communicate wirelessly with one another. In an illustrative embodiment described later, a handheld game apparatus (10) is employed, for example. A first data storage means (42) provided to the parent device stores at least a parent device program (68), game data (76) and generation information (64) indicating what generation the parent device program and the game data belong to in relation to the original data stored in the parent device. A first communication means (14) is intended for wireless communications with a plurality of child devices. Also, a transmission means (22, 66, S21) transmits the parent device program, the game data and the generation information stored in the first data storage means, to each child device, using the first communication means. Meanwhile, a second communication means (14) provided to the child device is intended for wireless communications with the parent device. A reception means (22, S121) receives the parent device program, the game data and the generation information from the parent device with the use of the second communication means. A second data storage means (22, 28, 86, S123) stores the parent device program, the game data and the generation information received by the reception means, in a writable and readable manner. A parent device processing means (22, S125) executes the parent device program stored in the second data storage means. Additionally, the parent device processing means executes the parent device program to update the generation information stored in the second data storage means (S135) and transmit the parent device program, the game data and the updated generation information stored in the second data storage means, to another plurality of child devices, using the second communication means (S157). In this manner, the parent device transmits, to child devices, the parent device program, the game data and the generation information indicating what generation the data belongs to in relation to the original data stored in the parent device. Then the child devices receiving this information update the generation information and transmit the data and the generation information to other child devices, acting as tentative parent devices, in response to the execution of the parent device program. Accordingly, it is possible to send data to more child devices in a short period of time and allow the child devices receiving the data to recognize what generation the data belongs to.
A storage medium storing a wireless communication game program according to an illustrative embodiment is a storage medium storing a wireless communication game program for a wireless communication game system including at least one parent device and a plurality of child devices that can communicate wirelessly with one another. The parent device comprises a first data storage means for storing at least a parent device program and game data, and a first communication means for communicating wirelessly with a plurality of child devices. Each of the child devices comprises a second communication means for wirelessly communicating with the parent device and a second data storage means for storing, in a writable and readable manner, the data received using the second communication means. The wireless communication game program causes a processor of the parent device to execute a first connection step of searching for a plurality of communicable child devices and establishing connection with each of the child devices by broadcasting data for connection using the first communication means. The wireless communication game program causes a processor of the child device to execute a second connection step of searching for the communicable parent device and establishing connection with the parent device by receiving the data for connection with the use of the second communication means. The wireless communication game program causes the processor of the parent device to execute a transmission step of transmitting the parent device program and the game data stored in the first data storage means to each of the child devices with which connection is established by the first connection step and the second connection step. The wireless communication game program causes the processor of the child device to execute a reception step of receiving the parent device program and the game data from the parent device with which connection is established by the first connection step and the second connection step and storing them in the second data storage means, and a parent device processing step of executing the parent device program stored in the second data storage means. In the parent device processing step, the parent device program is executed to search for another plurality of communicable child devices and establish connection with each of the child devices by broadcasting the data for connection with the use of the second communication means, and transmit the parent device program and the game data stored in the second data storage means to each of the child devices with which connection is established.
In the storage medium storing the wireless communication game program as well as the above described wireless communication game system, child devices receiving data from the parent device transmit the data to other child devices in sequence as next parent devices, which allows data transmission to more child devices in a short period of time.
A storage medium storing a wireless communication game program according to an illustrative embodiment is a storage medium storing a wireless communication game program for a wireless communication game system including at least one parent device and a plurality of child devices that can communicate wirelessly with one another. The parent device comprises a first data storage means for storing at least a parent device program, game data, and generation information indicating what generation the parent device program and the game data belong to when counting from the ones in the parent device, and a first communication means for communicating wirelessly with a plurality of child devices. Each of the child devices comprises a second communication means for communicating wirelessly with the parent device and a second data storage means for storing the data received with use of the second communication means in a writable and readable manner. The wireless communication game program causes a processor of the parent device to execute a transmission step of transmitting the parent device program, the game data and the generation information stored in the first data storage means to each child device, using the first communication means. The wireless communication game program causes a processor of the child device to execute a reception step of receiving the parent device program, the game data and the generation information from the parent device, using the second communication means and storing them in the second data storage means, and a parent device processing step of executing the parent device program stored in the second data storage means. The parent device processing step executes the parent device program to update the generation information stored in the second data storage means and transmit the parent device program, the game data and the updated generation information stored in the second data storage means to another plurality of child devices, using the second communication means. In the storage medium storing the wireless communication game program as well as the above described wireless communication game system, it is possible to transmit data to more child devices in a short period of time and allow the child devices receiving the data to recognize what generation the data belongs to.
According to an illustrative embodiment, child devices receiving data from the parent device transmit the data to other child devices in sequence, as tentative parent devices, which allows data transmission to more child devices in a short period of time.
Moreover, in transmitting data in sequence from the parent device to child devices and from the child devices to other child devices, in a case where the data includes the generation information, each of the child devices can recognize what generation the received data belongs to in relation to the original data stored in the parent device.
The above described other features and aspects of the illustrative embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.